Nightmares are a Virus
by NetsirkBlue
Summary: Sequel to Purple Visions. XANA has found the perfect way to turn the tides in his favor. Full summary inside. Complete.
1. Friends Know

**(Spelling corrected: 7/28/08)**

**Disclaimer: **I wish it did but alas it is not so, Code Lyoko does not belong to me.

**Summary: **After a close call for the Lyoko warriors they find a problem among their own, far more troubling then the first and to top it all off XANA has gained a new ability which is bound to turn the tides in his favor.

Sequel to Purple Visions

Now presenting: Nightmares are a Virus

* * *

Chapter 1: Friends know

Many things had happened over the last two days. The balance between the digital and the real world was beginning to tilt in unfavorable ways. It had felt like their victory; they had made it back, avoided falling into the Digital Void and reversed XANA's attack.

It seemed a full out **win**.

They should have known they could never be that lucky and now they were left with the problem of discovering what the Scyphozoa back in sector five had done to Odd.

They didn't fully understand it and the only person that did, couldn't remember.

All that he knew completely was that the world had faded into gray, in his confusion and it was only by luck he ever managed to find the dorms. Only to be sheepishly directed to his own after three tried doors which all ended up intruding on girls. It was the wrong floor he was searching.

It was his room no doubt, at the dog which perked up its head at its owner's presence.

"Kiwi!" finally a familiar face. He stroked the mutt once then looked over the two beds. This meant he must have had a roommate maybe they could fill in some of these blanks.

* * *

Ulrich had walked in a very elaborate circle searching all the places he was sure Odd would be judging by before but he wasn't in the Infirmary and for once when he wanted Sissi to be around to ask, she wasn't.

Then an idea sprouted up in his mind as he withdrawn his cell phone from his pocket. There it was on speed dial as all their numbers were but when he went to call and held it to his ear,

_Static…_

He canceled it and moved to slide the phone away but the device began to vibrate. Yumi.

**Find him yet?**

No such luck. "Not yet and his cell phone isn't connecting. I'm going to check our dorm he might be there."

**Why wouldn't he have checked up with us first?**

Ulrich didn't respond, thinking along the same lines. He stopped in front of the door and shifted his phone to the other hand. Slowly he crept it open peering in. "Odd?…" He wasn't sure what to expect.

--

There was the boy though dressed in his normal purple with his large spike of blonde hair soaked from the rain.

Before his roommate had appeared Odd had been tearing through his own stuff looking for anything would bring back the memories of what he had been doing here all this time. Too bad the one thing that could currently help him though was in Miss Elisabeth Delmas room.

Here was someone he should know, standing in the doorway but when he turned around to face the brown haired boy, fatigue overtook him throwing him into a world of black.

It was the same as before. Just as Odd did before, he passed out, again.

"Yeah I found him but you better call Jeremie and Aelita and get over here."

* * *

Odd Della Robbia felt nauseas, light-headed, and over all **hungry**. Greeted by a group of unfamiliar faces when he had opened his eyes once more and they were all staring. "Are you alright? We didn't want to take you to the Infirmary just in case."

He was tempted to ask 'incase what?' but stopped himself, a different set of words finding way to his mouth. "I'm really…" He sat himself up slowly caressing his fingers to his gut. "Hungry…" There was no way he could worry about anything else till he satisfied that demand.

"You had soup this morning…" Ulrich slid his hand to the nape of his own neck and rubbed it tenderly but that was all and if he was counting it was almost two complete days without eating. That couldn't be good for someone with a metabolism like Odd.

"I don't remember…" no one heard him.

Jeremie sunk down on his friend's unoccupied bed and snapped open his laptop, resting it upon his knees. He was a little more than relieved to see their oddest group member was alright and so examined the clock on his screen and determined. "It's almost time for dinner…"

With that they had decided they should go together. All except for Yumi, who stated she really had to get home and then Ulrich who offered to walk her home. It was only when they were parting from the rest of them when Odd had pointed and asked. "Are you two going out?"

Ulrich was quick on the response before Yumi could even open her mouth. "No!"

Well Odd just smiled. "You should, you two look _perfect _for each other." Both their cheeks had grown a tinge of light pink before their composers were gathered and they headed off.

"You knew they weren't going out why did you ask?"

Odd lost interest in this conversation glancing one way then the other before finally came the words they never thought to hear him say. "Where is the Cafeteria?" Someone who ate so much would **never** forget where to find the food.

Something was wrong.

"Odd?"

* * *

It's a messy start but it's on its way.

Next Chapter: Forgotten

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	2. Forgotten

**Disclaimer: **Code Lyoko does not belong to me.

**Note: **Reviews are nice, I would like more but there isn't much I can do about it. For the people which are reading this story I don't want to keep you waiting and will keep updating for that reason. I might spread the time between occasionally though.

Now, enjoy more story.

* * *

Chapter 2: Forgotten

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Something was wrong,

Everything was **forgotten**.

Not to be mistaken Odd was aware of this hefty fact. He knew there was a large void in place of where solid, sturdy built memories should of been but right now he was only aware of the void in his stomach.

For some reason his subconscious was telling him he had been slacking on his body's demands and so he ate, _fast_, as quick as he could shove mighty tons of food into his mouth.

If those two which were currently staring at him with such shameful looks had spoke a single word to him, it went right over his head. They were trying to ask him something about 'XANA' and a 'Scyhozoa', which only sounded like some sort of foreign jellyfish to him.

At a sudden beeping Odd had swallowed hard and glanced at the boy who was drawing out a laptop, which he recognized as something he must carry everywhere. "Xana is attacking…" Came the low tone.

They were getting up and he looked at his food and then them, as if debating whether or not they were worth following out of this mystery. "You're going somewhere right?"

"The factory, we have to go stop XANA from taking over our world and destroying Lyoko by transporting Ulrich, Yumi, and Aelita to the virtual world and deactivating the tower before damage becomes irreversible."

Judging by the expression now plastered across Odd's features, they had lost him after factory. "Did anyone ever tell you… You don't make any sense?"

Jeremie would usually put things in simpler terms for Odd but there wasn't time. "You just stay here. I will explain it all when I get back."

Odd gave him a slight wave, "Alright Einstein." The name just fit.

* * *

He remained there eating alone, till the last bits were scrapped free from his tray and he had gone back for two more helpings (before the lunch lady shooed him away). The rest of the student body had just arrived and the Cafeteria was engulfed in the chatter of voices.

"Where are your friends _Odd_? You've been without them this whole day." It wasn't the most comforting voice to meet on this lousy evening. As he headed for the exit he turned to face the girl.

It was the first thing he could recall after the large lapse of memory, the meeting with the most 'popular' girl who now stood there before him.

He shrugged. "They are on Vacation?"

Whatever 'Einstein' had been trying to tell him before he knew it must be a secret of some sort.

"Ha. That's real funny Scrawny."

"I am not scrawny!" Who was this girl anyways? He strolled over to her till the distance between was short and could easily be broken. He rocked up on his toes, he wasn't scrawny he was _svelte_. "Did you get a nose job?"

She pulled back. "For the last time Odd I did not get a nose job!" He wasn't aware he asked before but she was turning away, as faces began to stare at her sudden outburst.

"Look at all the attention you are getting, you must be the most popular girl in school."

Odd had a mild perspective of something black creeping down from the lights above and sudden small jolts from the girl's form. "Hey…" He started to say slowly before she turned around and knocked him sideways to the floor.

People were use to girls hitting Odd, usually he deserved it but this was not one of those times.

"What was that for?" She was coming toward him again and he was sure that he saw something flash across her eyes that wasn't there before. He didn't understand but something was telling him he needed to run and that what he had done.

Elisabeth didn't chase him but she did follow him out the doors.

* * *

In Lyoko they weren't much better off, even with their vehicles in tow. XANA seemed to have the advantage point even with the warnings and directions from Jeremie, a blind spot was constantly found in the warriors' defenses.

"Xana shouldn't even have this much power left after pulling an attack like he did earlier." Jeremie caressed his fingers to his brow. "Ulrich watch out you only have- never mind" The triangle just beeped out. "Aelita you're almost to the tower!"

He had this churning feeling in his gut that this wasn't going to turn out well.

* * *

What kind of school was this? That girl was creating electricity and he seemed to be the soul target of her burns. She didn't listen, Odd got no mercy and he didn't even understand why.

His whole body stung and still she wouldn't let up. He had broke away making his escape under the still pounding sheets of rain and lost sight of her through the buckets of water, he only hoped it was the same from her perspective.

After the hits from a super powered student his legs refused to hold him up and all he was trying to do was run away. Odd Della Robbia had all intention to escape but when common sense whined that he was becoming lost, he stopped.

A large mistake on his part.

The moment he turned to see where he was, he came face to face with the girl that hadn't the slightest bit of trouble finding him and he was falling again. Murky water splashing up around him when he hit the trunk of a dark and sturdy tree.

* * *

They did it. Yumi was knocked back to the real world seconds before, but the elfin princess had reached their target and fazed on through. It was too sudden, they wouldn't be able to do a return trip again so soon; hopefully they didn't need one.

The code was set into the panel.

The tower,

deactivated.

* * *

She loomed over the boy whose form shrunk back against the shadow of the tree. His small figure shaking and trembling, thoroughly soaked, as he sunk his fingers into overly moist dirt around him. "Sorry?"

It wouldn't do any good to apologize and she charged up another snaking form of electricity completely under the control of a certain murderous virus. This would kill him under these conditions. Even failing science he knew water and electricity didn't make a pleasant mixture.

This meant Odd would die without ever regaining the part of the memory that he had lost.

That never came though, the only thing he felt was the weight of the girl as she collapsed onto him. His shock shifted into puzzlement as he rolled her off onto her back. "When we get back to the school you're getting a therapist."

Only the rain whispered back.

* * *

Next Chapter: Nightmares Arise

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	3. Nightmares Arise

**Disclaimer: **Code Lyoko does not belong to me.

**Note: **Due to a lack of chocolate this chapter took a little longer than I expected. Please enjoy.

Chapter 3: Nightmares Arise

Without a doubt Odd Della Robbia had no clue to where he was, somewhere near the boundaries of the school grounds. He sat there in silence till the rain began to slow to a soft drizzle glancing occasionally to the unconscious girl.

Did what happen have anything to do with XANA? If only he understood what Jeremie had been trying to tell him.

The principal's daughter was stirring wiping the black strands out of her face as she sat unsurely up. For a moment her eyes were searching the surroundings only to fall upon the only other one here, he hugged his knees with a slight shiver.

"What did you do?!" He took this offensively "you should be asking yourse-" he stopped himself judging by her actions she had no idea what she had done. Sort of made him feel like the crazy one "actually you should be thanking me. We were attacked by wolves and you fainted at the sight of them." He put a hand to his forehead in mockery of her made up actions.

Her eyes narrowed in a glare "and what was I doing with **you**?!" Guess she wasn't the sort of person to be seen around him, he knew he wasn't forgetting a friendship between them. In any case she seemed harmless now and running his hand back against the bark of the tree for support he got to his feet "how should I know."

She was huffing and puffing as she examined her muddy clothes with a distasteful expression "out in the rain… attacked by wolves…" looking over she snapped at Odd "What are you staring at?! I don't need your protection you know?" she tried to shoo him away with a simple gesture "go back to school."

Her words hadn't scrapped a wanted reaction on her part "I don't know which way it is…"

This wasn't right this boy was taking this game to far. "Did you bump your head or something? You're a serious disaster…" He couldn't have possibly forgotten everything could he? So suddenly. Well if he really did she would have to help him. Maybe not have to but she should.

Slowly she pulled from her train of thoughts "It's this way…"

Sissi hadn't even gone a step but when her only other company did he jerked his arm around her shoulders. This better not of been some sort of trick to start some sort of relationship; after all Odd had gone out with every other similar aged girl in their school.

Strongly tempted to elbow the boy in the gut she stopped herself "get off of me Odd…" By her threatening tone he did and she began walking. "So you seriously forgot who I am? You're not just joking…" she couldn't hear the disappointment in her own tone.

He was shaking his head numb and cold. If only she would turn around and look at him she would see his shame. "You need to go to the Infirmary."

"NO!" He grabbed her arms and pulled her around in haste. As she was always knocked away from believing, there was more going on then she understood among the group of friends this boy was involved with. "What are they supposed to do about it anyways?"

The rain had come to a complete stop by now and the skies had cleared opening up for the moonlight to shimmer off the puddles and the droplets clinging to the leafs of trees.

Elisabeth Delmas could feel her cheeks heating within this boy's grip, knew she was blushing but was glad it was too dark to see her sudden change of emotions. She didn't know why this was happening, she always imaged that a moment like this would be shared with Ulrich not _Odd_.

"Alright…"

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The four made it back to the school only to once more have misplaced their purple friend. There was no damage which they could see when walking through the halls of Kadic. Either XANA hadn't had enough time to stage an attack or he went directly after the only member of the group he could, Odd.

"What is with this? Kiwi is becoming easier to keep track of then Odd…" Ulrich tugged the door shut after a quick glance inside their dorm where only the dog perked up its head. They looked uneasy "you don't think he is…?"

Ulrich pushed the cell phone away from the genius glasses as he went to call in order to determine the situation "don't bother his phone isn't working." So much for that, it only left more room to assume the worse.

Jeremie shifted "this is all by fault I should have never left him here when his memory is so unstable. He doesn't even know who Xana is he could already be…" he paused removing his glasses and wiping the lens clean upon his shirt as to distract himself, that didn't work so well as he began pacing instead.

"I can't believe this… I can't believe this… Odd must be dead!" Yumi smacked him then withdrawn at her own shock and Aelita's gasp "sorry Jeremie… but don't get ahead of yourself. Odd can't be dead. I mean we don't know anything for certain yet." The tension was growing in the group but lucky the person which always broke it arrived just in time.

"It's great to know I had friends that cared so much they would mourn my death." The boy swung his arms around Yumi and Jeremie's neck pulling them, with difficulty, down to his level. "Without even making sure I was dead first."

Cramped up at such a low height Yumi pulled away sending their new arrival to the ground and forcing Jeremie along for the ride; it was a muffled thump which reached all their ears. "_Come on_… I've fallen enough today. Give a guy a break."

Ulrich moved to help his roommate up pausing a moment "what happened to you?"

Odd grabbed his friend's arm and used it as leverage to regain balance. "I'm sure you won't believe it. No actually you will probably believe it more than I do." With that he began his story which was rather long in comparison to the real thing.

"I just finished eating my third tray of food and went up for more but that lunch lady said I had enough and I needed to save some for the rest of the students. Can you believe that?" That was a rhetorical question but they gave him answers anyways which he ignored.

"So anyways I didn't know what to do next so I was leaving and I ran into this psycho girl. I can't even remember what she wanted but she called me scrawny… I mean everyone knows I'm not scrawny I'm svelte. It was pretty rude of her."

Ulrich repositioned himself so his weight was back against the wall; this was going to be one dragged out story at the rate Odd was going. "Can you speed this up a little it's almost curfew and Yumi still has to get home." "That's right!" she snapped to realization waving a quick goodbye before rushing off.

Odd just smiled "good stories take time I mean I almost died." It was normal for him to take such a subject lightly but they could all sense Jeremie's discomfort. No matter how many times they drew close to death he still didn't like talking about it.

"No offence Odd but you almost die all the time." So much for the story now he was curious to why that was but they just shook their heads and said they talk about it tomorrow since a sudden sound of footsteps had them on their way.

Some weirdo that pinned some sort of conspiracy upon the two roommates and for about five minutes he lectured them upon the subject of how he would one day find out what that conspiracy was. Odd didn't understand a word of it but he sure found it funny.

"What are you laughing at Della Robbia?!" The boy stiffened up "you must be working too hard. You're talking crazy." Ulrich turned and went inside their room not wanting to get involved. "Let me tell you something about crazy talk I used to-" his focus was gone and he gave Jim a slight wave before joining Ulrich in their dorm.

"Finished entertaining Jim already?" The brown haired boy rolled over pulling his covers over his head after receiving an answer that was somewhere along the lines of 'yes'

Odd sat down on his bed "so are you going to tell me who Xana is?" His response was to turn off the lights and go to sleep, eventually he obeyed. Only to be greeted by some very unpleasant dreams in the darkness.

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These paws. What was the point of these big purple paws?

In this place, in his dream, all around trees with distance tops loomed up over him. He had looked up knowing he heard something but no sound reached his ears in this desolate place. If only he could remember something, if only he understood.

Without even gaining a chance to turn around he felt pain spike up his side.

It felt like the world was falling… sideways, without him but it was only to realize he was the only one moving striving to get away from those eyes, from those monsters, from that vir- He almost understood but the realization was gone as reality seemed to find its way back.

All eight fingers and two thumbs his sights didn't linger long upon his hands for this time he wasn't alone in this soundless place. The others were here, Jeremie, Ulrich, and Yumi but the other girl was absent and he watched in silence as their mouths moved wordlessly.

XANA is trying to kill us.

From the distance a white light flooded toward them and engulfed the day.

You remember Xana, the supercomputer, the attacks, the Scyphozoa that **made** you _forget_.

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The room was silent and the slimy tongue slopped up against Odd's face. "Quit it Kiwi…" when the dog fell to his fours he had walked to his given drawer. Before curling up inside he spared a quick glance back to his owner and dropped his snout onto his paws.

Ulrich was still fast asleep from what his roommate could tell in the darkness but he wasn't interested in pushing it any farther to find out.

_XANA was trying to kill them._

How would he forget something as drastic as that? Tomorrow they would tell him everything they promised to explain and he could only assume that would take them a long while. What about classes though?

He cast a quick glance to the glowing numbers of his clock, it was the middle of the night and for now there was nothing to do but go back to _sleep_. Before shutting his eyes Odd felt the words there upon his tongue "Please let that be the only one of those dreams…" he didn't know why but he had a feeling the things he had forgotten, he didn't really want to remember.

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Next chapter: Just Remember

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	4. Just Remember

**Disclaimer: **Code Lyoko does not belong to me just as none of the characters in this story do.

**Note: **Yes people, if you review I update. Reviews are nice they make me happy and let me know who is reading. Always review, **forever and ever**.

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Chapter 4: Just Remember

It wasn't the last as Odd had hoped, they wouldn't leave; the boy's unconscious mind was desperate to get him to remember the importance of what he had forgotten. Yet with all he currently knew, laying there restlessly in that bed he really wanted to retain what he had outlined as his sanity.

He looked toward the window in the morning hours the glass was still dark at dawn but they needed to get up or miss breakfast and that was the one thing he was really looking forward to. "Ulrich" he rolled over to face the bed opposite of his own. Why didn't he hear?

"Hey Ulrich!" Kiwi perked up his head at his owners yelling and padded his way to the hand hanging over the edge of the bed. "Go ahead my digity-dog. Lick him."

After a moment a moan rose from the slumbering boy "stop it Yumi…"

Odd knew who Yumi was and started laughing immediately at her secret lover's words. It only took him a moment to awake and knock Kiwi's snout away. He sat up pulling the earplugs out of their places as he mumbled "Odd?"

The boy took a breather "Yumi licks your fingers?" he licked his own like a cat waiting for the wanted reaction, an angry scowl "that's some relationship you got there Romeo. If only one day I could be like you and find a girl to lick _my_ hand." In all the chaos that arose from this Ulrich forgot to find it weird that Odd was up first.

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After a quick shower in which Odd examined the injuries he hadn't noticed before and the pains he hadn't felt at the time of receiving them he went along with Ulrich to join the others for the first meal of the day.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" the sleepy warriors were lectured as Odd scooped the leftover food off their trays. "Then stopping eating ours would you?!" Still cranky from his wake up call Ulrich pulled his tray away from his roommate despite the fact he was done with it.

He wasn't put off by this just pointed at Aelita's remaining pile of eggs "you done with that?" With a smile the girl pushed what was left of her breakfast over to him "help yourself."

It was pulled away, his fork bouncing off the grains of wood. "Are you trying to make me starve?! I'm sorry you woke up on the wrong side of the bed." "All thanks to you Odd." The boy paused and tapped his fork to his chin before intruding on the two genius' conversation.

"Aren't him and I…" he pointed at Ulrich and himself in turn with the back of his thumb "supposed to be good buddies? I mean we are roommates." Jeremie laughed "sorry to say but he didn't really have a choice on that." "Go ahead and tell me the story…" he began to eat the food off 'Einstein's' tray as he waited for the memory.

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The nightmares had moved to the past as Odd shifted into his normal upbeat attitude following his grumpy roommate to the first class. "All cause I played a joke on you? I'm sure I do that all the time. Right?" He was just ignoring him and a voice broke up from the already chatting groups lingering within the classroom.

"Ulrich dear!"

He rose an eyebrow at the use of his friend's name and shifted his glance between the two "I didn't know you were going out with Sissi. Is that why you were so mad at me for talking about you and Yumi like that?" Odd needed a break, he was clueless.

"She wishes I was going out with her. Get lost Sissi!" she was shocked but not by that but because she just remembered Odd was lacking his memory. It seemed so weird to hear words like that from him. In that second as she walked away though she realized something, this was like a new start, she could get into their group yet.

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She waited till after class. Listening to all the odd remarks Odd passed to the teacher on subjects he couldn't recall all the while ignoring her cronies who were extremely confused at her actions. At the end she shooed them away and they complained about how they couldn't live without her. "GET LOST!" They would survive.

Ulrich was just parting with Odd after explaining where and what his next class was and he left him their standing alone till Sissi came up behind him "Odd."

"What Sissi?" She knew that tone Ulrich must have filled him up with all the stories about the terrible ways she had treated their group over their time spent at Kadic.

She shifted uncomfortably as he turned to face her with a slight limp that she must have not noticed when following the two boys into the classroom before. Well that seemed about right how could you face wolves without getting hurt at all?

"I just…" she paused "wanted something that has to do with Ulrich. That Sissi dear is what we call obsession." A small smile crept on his features "I need to find my class now…" his expression slipped in to a frown as he glanced about noticing he hadn't been listening to a thing Ulrich had said while he was here.

This was another chance she grabbed his arm "I know where your class is." Herb and Nicolas looked shocked as they still watched from one side, jealousy forming as they had not been filled in on the plan.

"Is this normal for you to do because last night I thought you made it pretty clear you wanted nothing to do with me…" as in tried to kill him. "Of course not Odd. You shouldn't listen to Ulrich you and me can be best friends."

What was that voice in his head screaming? **No**.

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He was pulled along with Elisabeth though with a sore knee in a bruised back. Damn that XANA who or whatever is was. Where ever she was leading him he wasn't sure if it was the right way or not. It wasn't.

"Yolande" she knocked upon the door keeping hold of the boy who had enough sense to know this wasn't where he should be. "What are you doing?" the bell resounded marking the start of class he was sure to miss. "Taking you to the Infirmary of course. You're limping on your left leg besides think of it as our bond of friendship. Friends worry about each other right?"

Odd had been about to take a leaf out of Ulrich's book and go tell her to fly a kite when the Kadic nurse appeared in the doorway. "What is it?"

Sissi smiled in a way that was like a little girl ratting out their sibling for something they did wrong and explained that Odd needed to see her. The woman gestured the both of them in while Odd questioned this girl's loyalty "do promises mean anything to you?"

The principal's daughter took a seat "I'm only worried about your health. Headaches, lack of appetite, injuries, memory loss-" "You really need to get a life Sissi it's all too clear to me you have to much free time" and he didn't have nearly enough.

"Alright let me see your knee Odd." He shifted uncomfortable and she went on "that's why you're limping isn't it and if that isn't it I might as well find the cause." Elisabeth Delmas was the devil.

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Eventually they were sent on their way after a lecture about how Odd should be more careful and should be easy on his feet for a few days. He had an awkward feeling that wouldn't work out so well but agreed anyways.

He managed to shake Sissi off before heading to Gym still slightly ticked about how she had done that to him but he was sure his friends could make it better.

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"You're supposed to dress out Odd."

He sat back on the bleachers somehow looking bored and amused at the same time. He had good reason for once to slack in a class but then this and art class were the only two classes Odd was pulling a passing grade in anyways.

"I slammed my knee last night when I was running for my life from psycho Sissi." "Xana must have possessed her." He shrugged "I don't know she was pretty mad about me asking her if she got a nose job- wait Xana can possess people. How am I supposed to know that you aren't then?"

Ulrich turned around as their teacher appeared "Della Robbia why are you dressed like that?" "Well the law sort of demands that we humans don't run around in the nude. Besides that I really like the color purple." Jim forgot what point that he had been trying to make and so left the group of friends.

Between them they had decided they needed to go to the factory later. Showing Odd would probably work best. It would be so much easier though if he would just **remember**.

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Next chapter: Blue Skies and Black Shadows

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	5. Blue Skies and Black Shadows

**Disclaimer: **I envy the owners of Code Lyoko. I do **not** own it.

**Note: **This story sure is fun to write! Okay but anyways…

Chapter 5: Blue Skies and Black Shadows

It was a perfect day. After yesterday's storm there wasn't a cloud in the sky, just blue stretching on for miles and miles over hazy horizons. As young couples discussed this in the courtyard the students were passing to lunch.

Lunch, another wonderful meal of the day and he knew he should be overjoyed but failed to shake of the headache that was rising; it punctured his happiness like a needle to a balloon.

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This was familiar, Odd not eating. He did not need to go two days without food again though and Ulrich had to say something on the subject or watch the already scrawny boy starve. "You know lunch isn't the most important meal of the day so you can go ahead and eat my leftovers." He only refused insisting he was still full from breakfast but that wasn't believable.

Ulrich rolled his eyes and sunk back into his seat before falling into a conversation with Yumi who managed to cheer him up in no time.

"What is it Odd?" He didn't look to Aelita but did reply "headache." Jeremie paused in what he was doing to stare intently at his fork; before that trip to Lyoko in which Odd had lost his memory, had he said something about the cause of his headaches having something to do with the future?

He didn't really believe it possible but never looked into it since they had seemed to stop till now.

"We will go to the factory after school today…" They all nodded in quick agreement before a certain girl and her lackeys arrived on the scene. Odd didn't spare a second before he got up only when he was standing he decided he **had **to say something along with Ulrich's comment. "Go jump in a river Sissi."

He laughed "no don't do that Sissi it would be cruel… to the fish." Whatever her reaction to that was Odd wasn't interested and so left, the pink haired girl following after him to make sure he was alright.

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They wandered outside where Odd Della Robbia could find a seat upon the benches as this headache intensified. Something was telling him he should understand but he didn't and was only faintly aware Aelita had took a seat beside him as he closed his eyes.

Had this happened before? Not the headache but what Xana was plotting; it seemed familiar. All he currently knew though was the virus was out to kill them. It was an ugly grudge and he shouldn't know how XANA was going to pull it off.

He was reacting slowly to this news.

"Ulrich, Yumi, and Jeremie need to get out of the Cafeteria before they get stuck." Aelita didn't move "are you okay Odd?" he swore that he thought he was going crazy lately then asked her for her phone, dumping them off to where they were now with Odd calling the others.

"Jeremie?"

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He only took a second to answer examining his computer which had just began to beep brilliantly when he picked up his cell phone, the other two were already getting up at the warning.

**You need to get out of there. XANA is going to trap you guys in.**

Odd shouldn't sound so collected like he knew what he was talking about. The only people that were supposed to know when an attack was being staged was Jeremie with his laptop and Aelita when she was in Lyoko. "We are on it…" he said after a long moment of crossing the Cafeteria with all the students still having conversations around the room.

Suddenly it was quiet and he looked around to find all the students were staring at the three of them, he swallowed hard. "Um…" Odd was telling Aelita something on the other side of the line but was quick to tell Jeremie to stop standing around.

Faster to explain what the three needed to do now and in a moment they were all ducking behind an over turned table that wouldn't hold more then a few seconds against an onslaught of Xana possessed students.

Jeremie was a little more believing to this seeing the future thing as he listened to the thuds of trays and utensils banging off the wood. "Aelita is with you right? Get to the factory and Odd… stay away from the Scyphozoa."

The phone had flew out of Jeremie's hand ending the call.

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They ran knowing time was short. Aelita by experience and Odd by putting the pieces he had gathered back together. The only direction he had though was to follow the girl who wasted no time to reach the goal that Odd couldn't remember.

It hurt though.

Odd Della Robbia would of done well to listen to the advice of Yolande but then their choices had run thin extremely fast and now he _running _fast, despite the pain searing through his knee. Of all the mistakes so far though dropping off those last few rungs was one of the worst. For a moment he had fallen off balance and almost hit the ground.

Aelita looked back at him with concern but there wasn't time for that "are you alright Odd?" "Just keep going…" he got to his feet and was falling a few steps after her once more.

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"If we can make it to the kitchen we might have a better chance…" because they sure weren't going to be able to escape to outside. "So what's the plan?" their temporary shield was cracking and they were thinking fast with their life once more on the line.

An idea had come but was quickly proved insufficient when they tried to move the table with them and it cracked in half. Crap. Time to make a run for it not so smart against super powered people, another game of duck and dodge.

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Odd leaned the majority of his weight onto his better leg and watched, waiting for Aelita to finish whatever she was doing at those keyboards. In a moment she had joined him and explained that they were headed to a virtual world to deactivate a tower.

When they arrived at the scanner room she just pointed at one of the capsules and told him to get in before entering one as well.

The doors shut and Odd stood there waiting for something miraculous to happen but all that happened was air blew up in his face once more for all those thousands of times it had before. He was going to Lyoko again.

Grass, more grass and those really tall trees…

After a rather rough landing that the girl, he could assume was still Aelita, had to pick him up from; he realized something. This was the place that had been in those dreams that had sucked away his sleep last night.

He looked at his hands or better yet paws and balanced the extra extension behind him, a tail. "Why do I have paws and a tail?" he swung it back and forth and Aelita laughed "you just do now come on we got to get to the tower."

Odd didn't move instead looking around for this destination. There it was to the left, that was easy enough and he started running till something stood in their way "and that is?" he pointed at the cubed monster knowing he would probably have to learn this the hard way.

Where had Aelita gone? Hiding. That was enough of a hint for him he jumped to a tree digging his claws in as the blast resounded past.

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One hit, two hits, that they could handle but letting their guard down here was a dire mistake. What was taking those two so long?

"What's going on here?!" Their heads turned and they screamed for Jim to get out but he was knocked unconscious on sight. Interest wasn't on him at least which sucked for the three who only got a second to run and then…

Pain.

"Ulrich!" Yumi couldn't get to him fast enough as he hit the ground and the girl they all despised with so much passion came at him. In that second she thought for sure it was over that the chair's leg would be plunged through his neck and it **would** _be all over_.

She breathed and time fell back into normal pace.

Ulrich had pulled to the left at the last second knowing if he didn't he would regret it more then the pain that he now felt spiking through his right side. Before he knew it Yumi was there and Sissi was gone. She helped him up as he held a hand to his shoulder, a warm sticky substance flooding over his fingers and all the while he knew what he was currently feeling was not good.

For now it was okay though, they were all still okay and on their way to the kitchen.

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The use of these claws was climbing as Odd quickly found out, it was easy to scale up the bark and duck around the other side from lasers he felt would burn him bad if they hit mark. Now it was just a matter of figuring out how to fight, he pulled away again as it approached. Maybe these claws would be useful for something else too.

"Not to rush you but the others are still in danger."

"Hey this is new for me…" never less the boy dropped to ground level, directly before the creature as it charged another attack. He rose his left hand and what a miracle it was, he found his weapon. Xana's monster had blown up and he was thrown back tumbling over the edge of the green.

Aelita rushed forward and to her relief found him clinging to the edge. "Falling off is bad right?" He got the vive it was real bad as he forced himself back onto solid ground.

They didn't see any more monsters after that.

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They made it to the kitchen and barred the door shut with everything they could find. They couldn't say how long that would last though and Yumi had to help Ulrich over to the far wall. That thrust attack hadn't killed him on impact but a nasty wound marked its place spilling crimson down his arm.

She had grabbed Ulrich's shoulder pushing it back between her palms and the wall which only brought discomfort to his features. Still she tried to slow the steady flow even though Ulrich had insisted he could tend to it himself.

Yumi might have been overreacting a little even insisting all she was doing was necessary; at least she was keeping calm. Unlike Jeremie whose face was losing color fast and putting on the slightest tinge of green. They didn't usually come across blood during these attacks, broken bones yes but this was new for him and he didn't like it one bit.

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XANA must have caught on to what Odd and Aelita were trying to do because quiet a gathering presented itself before the red tower. They examined the three bloks and Odd got the hint "run when I tell you" she ducked back out of sight as he advanced towards the creatures.

Fighting came fast to him in this time of importance, it wasn't a memory so much as it was just instinct and instinctively Odd Della Robbia didn't plan ahead.

If only someone reminded him how many arrows he had, only one blok remained and no more of the darts were appearing. Eventually he caught on and had to reevaluate at plan of action. Flicked his tail in annoyance and curled his fuzzy digits before dropping to them.

"Now Aelita!" he dashed toward the monster as he heard her footsteps pounding past. Striking forward with all his weight he felt the surface of the weak point ripping beneath his claws and knew he completed his job. As the blok blew up the rest of his life points went with it.

Breathless and nauseous he grabbed the side of the scanner recalling how terrible that feeling was. He didn't miss that but there were a lot of worse things he didn't want to remember that were leaning a lot closer to the present.

Reaching the chair Aelita had been earlier he sunk down into it and stretched out his sore knee staring at the screens with all the windows spilling information behind the glass. All these codes and words and diagrams that meant nothing to him. He reached for the headphone and slid it to its ear "Aelita?…" he ventured the name cautiously.

**I'm in the tower now. You might want to start a return trip.**

She lost him which wasn't good at a time like this. "Come on… how do I…" he switched over to dialing Ulrich's phone which was by simply by luck out of the keys he had tapped at random. His card shown up along with the small lines of signals.

"Ulrich?" Yumi was the one that replied though.

**Did you deactivate the tower?! **

Something sure was eating her up. "You need to hurry Odd, Ulrich passed out and I don't think that's good right now…" He didn't want to dwell too hard on what she said and was glad when Jeremie's voice came up the other side, finally the voice of reason. "How do you return trip?" He stared at all the keys.

**You… **

There was a pause in which silence had fallen then the words began to spill into his ears with haste. Odd believed he had followed directions pretty well but then he was failing every class that demanded he pay attention. Still he slid his finger over the button without hesitation.

For a moment nothing happened but something flashed across the screen, something bad, a red explanation point, this was bad, he screwed up. He about to tell Jeremie, had been about to explain he had done something wrong when a bright white light flooded up from the middle of the room and engulfed him. They really were lucky.

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Tension was gone as they found their way back outside and as always the group didn't discuss what just happened but headed instead, once more to lunch. They were relived as Ulrich was fine, that they were all fine even the color had returned back to Jeremie's face at the familiarity of a normal moment in time.

Odd glanced up toward the sky and the people they passed were right; the sky was really blue. Things were sure to get better there was no way this perfect day would lie.

He had no idea of how _wrong_ he was.

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Next chapter: One Terrible Mistake

**Read and Review. **Because it makes me happy.


	6. One Terrible Mistake

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Code Lyoko

**Note: **I can only write so fast! And I figure people can read faster then I can write so read, read, read!

Sorry I took longer to update than normal. My family has been pretty strung about helping my sister move out.

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Chapter 6: One Terrible Mistake

The day had gone by the second time uneventfully and due to the fact they were somehow loaded with homework so they had to pass on going to the factory this evening. By all means Odd wasn't upset by this in fact, he made of the excuse of having to work on his school work to get away from Jeremie.

So he had a vision but Jeremie was hurting his head with his complicated hypothesis and it wasn't in the same way. He was glad to get away and prop up the textbook which would of creaked from never being open if he was it's only owner, it was Ulrich's though.

And Ulrich well he was out playing soccer in these evening hours and normally Odd would of joined him but he was trying to avoid Jeremie who was out there to keep Aelita company who really wanted to watch.

That meant he was once more left out, doing homework of all things! He let off a soft growl and smacked the book aside. "Man this is boring and to think I could be beating Ulrich in soccer right now." Not usually but it wasn't as if he could remember.

He rolled over to glance at his doggie that was chewing and drooling all over his roommate's book. "That's not your toy Kiwi you don't want Ulrich to get mad at me do you?" The answer must have been yes since he went on biting.

Then there was a knocking at the door. Tossing his blankets over his dog Odd hopped up to answer it. "Sissi… to what honor do you grace me with your presence?" She glared at him with a look that no longer supported a need to become his friend. "I see you hate me again so I decided to give you back something you probably forgot was missing."

Odd closed the door and stepped out in the hall "what is it then?"

"You have a terribly active imagination it was good entertainment for a while but nothing like Ulrich's dairy would be." He laughed "he keeps a dairy?" Sissi scrunched up her nose "don't laugh Scrawny just cause he is more educated then you and knows how to do more then just draw pictures."

She dropped the sketchbook at his feet "I am not scrawny! I'm svelte…" she had already gone though and he picked up the purple book.

That Sissi was really _something _and not in a good way.

Kiwi had nosed his way out from under the sheets and was now chewing intensely on them and shaking the material back and forth between his teeth. Odd had plopped down on the bed once more and flipped through the drawings fast.

Ulrich, Yumi, Jeremie, Odd; Jeremie, Yumi, Ulrich ,Odd; Yumi, Ulrich; Jeremie; Aelita. That was the only picture she was alone. Then there was all the other people in the school labeled with writing that looked so much like scribbles that only he could identify the names.

Then towards the end was Lyoko and every monster including the _Scyphozoa_.

He dropped the book and glanced at the clock, it couldn't hurt to go to sleep.

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They were back again like a heavy burden weighing down on his unconscious. This time they made way too much sense and he walked circles through his memories at the constant flashes of return trips.

Odd Della Robbia would of never known he was dreaming if a loud clatter of thunder hadn't awoken him and he silently thanked that it did. He rubbed his hands to his face wiping the cold sweat from his features as he sat up slowly to the pounding rain against the window and roof.

His roommate could sleep through anything but then he did have those earplugs.

He lie back again. How could such a perfect blue day turn into this? To think he had only fallen asleep a few hours ago and now a storm was raging on outside showering waterfalls down upon Kadic Academy.

Odd was positive he wasn't going to get anymore sleep tonight.

No more sleep did come even though he had lied in waiting. He had been right in believing it wouldn't sinking down quietly at their table with a tray towered high with food. It would make him feel better it always did so he wasted no time shoveling it down.

"You better breathe I won't give you CPR." Odd almost choked right then but swallowed fast shooting off a reply "good" he paused gesturing at Ulrich "I know all the girls dream of kissing you but I just rather not. Dying would be more tolerable."

Jeremie stopped slopping the orange juice back and forth in its glass to look up "what a big word Odd you should be proud." He paid him no heed "now Aelita or Yumi I wouldn't mind giving me CPR." Ulrich choked and Jeremie ducked down behind his laptop's screen to avoid the look which passed his features.

Aelita's cheeks had taken on a slight tinge of pink "That's nice color for you. Matches your hair." He looked down at his tray noticing the lack of food and so rose to get more. "Breathe Ulrich. Breathe. Just remember… it's like having a baby."

His roommate let off a soft laugh when he regained the air. "I'm sure you would know…"

Odd passed a dark glare but kept walking as the three reverted to a different conversation. Somehow he managed as always to talk the lunch lady into giving him more food only for a short lecture about how he was so 'scrawny' "I'm not scrawny…" and he walked away.

He was almost there debating whether or not he had enough food when a loud clash of thunder roared over head. With a few shrieks of girls they were thrown into utter darkness and caught off balance by the surprise he tripped forward. All his eggs and bacon spilling onto the figure that had been passing in front of him. "ODD!"

Odd was in trouble with Elisabeth now.

"It's Xana" Jeremie announced to the group his words masked by the screams currently occurring throughout the Cafeteria.

The chair scrapped back across the floor as Ulrich rose "I will go get Yumi. You two head on to the factory we will meet you there." The three glanced in the direction their odd friend remained, currently busy. As Ulrich turned to leave he bumped into the girl that had fallen toward the level of fall back friend. That would do.

"Emily. When Odd is done with his 'moment' could you tell him to meet us in the normal place?" He should know where that was if enough of his memory was intact. She had replied with a 'yes' and they had all retreated their separate ways through darkness.

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"I can't believe you!" Even if he tried to say sorry the girl wouldn't listen so he stiffly gave it up after three tries. Maybe he could just… she grabbed the collar of his shirt preventing escape. "Listen to me! this outfit was extremely expensive and I expect you to pay me full price!" His friends were leaving with out him.

"You're serious? That cost you money?" he pointed though no one could tell in this light. "Sorry Sissi but I think that's a rip off." "Yeah and what do you know about fashion?!"

This conversation had gotten boring fast and all his attention was currently stapled to the wind whining outside and the water flooding up onto the cement, it was getting bad. The lights flickered and for a moment he could see Sissi's displeasure, twice before it was dark again.

He scuffed the soles of his shoes against the floor "look I'm sorry Sissi" Odd pulled back "but I really don't have time for this right now." With that he headed for an exit soon feeling a hand upon his arm, for a moment he thought it was Elisabeth but that second was gone when they spoke.

"Ulrich said to meet them in the normal place" Emily. And then she was gone.

Outside the storm threw needles of icy water at his face; shaking shivers up his spine and sending discomfort through his being. As he was leaving Jim had been trying to restore calm to the student body he had no idea the man would be departing as he did.

He could hear nothing over the storm as he pushed forward through the grounds wondering how he had managed getting so soaked all this week. It was all water, leaning close to hydrophobia with all the terrible situations that involved it.

Still Odd shook it off and sped up his pace as thunder roared overhead and lightening sparked through the sky. To think early morning could look like the middle of the night.

Suddenly Odd Della Robbia couldn't move someone had gripped his shoulder with a force of death sending pain shooting all the way to his fingers at the squeeze. It would of numbed he was sure but the time span for that wasn't supplied, instead agony was.

Electricity which had his mind reeling at the concept and his body giving out. It happened nerve by nerve and he gave to the only possible reaction under these conditions; unconsciousness.

Why hadn't he seen **that** coming?

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Water was seeping into the sewers but still the two swung down the rungs with ease. The system was running smoothly XANA hadn't done a thing to tinker with it; to try to drown them. What was that virus planning? Even Aelita and Jeremie had made it to the factory, this was going too smoothly.

Their luck had just run out.

Ulrich reached into his pocket at the low beep, it was probably Jeremie checking to make sure they were on their way. It wasn't.

**XANA locked me in the garden shed.**

It was a text message from Odd's phone but it left a lot to question and after a quick exchange of puzzled expressions he dialed for Jeremie, explaining they had a problem.

The final decision, Yumi would go check it out and Ulrich would go to Lyoko.

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Everything was surfacing slowly, they were in trouble and yet he couldn't even force his body to move. The darkness in the boy's mind began to depart but the black of his surroundings remained as did the searing headache.

_XANA. _It must be to that virus' accord that Odd was in this cold and damp place. The question was; what was he suppose to do about it?

Someone was going to get hurt and he was sure of one thing; he needed to get out of here but the moment he moved get up he was cornered. Xana had an ugly obsession with taking over Jim probably cause he was such a big person in comparison to the group.

Considering the fact he was still alive XANA was definitely up to something. "Move it… Xana…" he felt damp and cold maybe even a little sick in this face off. It was rather hard to grip reality when your head was pounding. "I don't have time for you."

No one had moved though not until Odd got the dumb idea to try to throw a punch, he hit the opposite wall with a clatter an assortment of garden tools crashing down around him as he slunk to the musty floor.

Help would be arriving shortly, his visions never lied he only wished they did. "Yumi don't come!" yelling or not she wouldn't be able to hear him through the storm and he sunk back, just glaring. He was too cold, too tired, and too sore but he wanted to try and fight again.

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Yumi ran, shielding her eyes from the rain and still black mascara streamed down her cheeks. Not once did it occur to her she was walking straight into a trap, trouble **yes **but not a trap.

She could see the hazy form in the distance the rain biting at the building. Her pace quickened then slowed as she approached her destination lightening temporarily clashing through the sky.

For a moment she slid her hand over the door and waited for some sound other then the whining wind.

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They were thrown into a world of extremely dense fog. Looking one way then the other to see nothing Aelita feared taking one step at the chance of plunging into the Digital Void. "Jeremie which way is the tower? we can't see anything." Same old tricks.

**Head to your right.**

This they could handle. They had before.

Following directions closely they weaved through the mountains only encountering a few close calls, monsters and edges they could not identify.

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She slipped inside greeted by the darkness and soon by a voice "Yumi get out!" Odd had been the one that sent for their help from his** broken **phone. That should have been enough of a sign.

The Japanese girl had made it to Odd through the darkness before he noticed her presence fully, before the chill sheared up his spine, before he could dare to move. His friend had lowered herself a little to try to get a better look at her scrawny fellow in this lack of light.

"Od-" He cut her off "It's a TRA-a-ap…" A warm substance had flickered across his quickly paling features and even without the color he already knew what it was as the breath got lost on the way to his lungs.

No. XANA never succeeded… he never…

**What had they gotten themselves into? **

Her cell phone had dropped from her hand as she fell onto the cushion of her friend the blood mingling with the water already clinging to his form. Through the door way light danced in and for a moment the figure was illuminated looming over them with the murderous shovel in hand and that was all Odd could think, murderer.

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They were seconds from the activated tower, Aelita strolling to the hidden base as Ulrich fended off the creatures he could not see "I got a really bad feeling Jeremie… You haven't heard from Yumi and Odd have you?"

His hesitation in questioning made him the easy target of a stray laser. All one hundred life points were gone now and he was out just as the elfin princess entered the tower.

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Yumi's cell flicked up on the screens and the young genius connected to the call "did you find him yet?" The voice that answered was calm but straining to do so but never less he had expected someone else.

**Jeremie… we need a return to the past.**

It wasn't Yumi it was Odd and he sounded terrified by whatever was happening. It didn't make any sense he enjoyed put his life on the line. Jeremie's face heated up as realization sunk it. He started the return program "Oh-no…"

**It-t… won't work- there's an… error.**

The red explanation point flashed again and again as Jeremie became more and more frantic. The call ended and the brown haired boy stepped over "was that Yumi?… what's going on?" he could sense the tension in the room.

"Ulrich… I'm… I'm… sorry…"

Strangely enough the only one person could really be sorry and it wasn't him.

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Next chapter: Edge of Insanity

**Read and Review.**


	7. Edge of Insanity

**Disclaimer:** As always Code Lyoko does **not **belong to me.

Thank you to my reviewers for reviewing. It pleases me greatly to know people are enjoying this story.

Chapter 7: Edge of Insanity

Yumi was hurt badly.

The program that controlled return trips was damaged and Jeremie could not reset this dire situation leaving more problems then they could handle at this level.

The hospital was quiet and the door creaked open, wind spraying droplets of rain into the waiting room and with it came three solemn Kadic students. They examined their surroundings slowly before crossing the glossy tiles to approach the only person they recognized.

Odd Della Robbia turned around as the sound of footsteps swam up into his puzzled senses. He was already apologizing for his mistake but Aelita quieted him the only way which seemed possible at the moment and that was by putting a hand over his mouth. None of the group wanted their principal to hear what he shouldn't as he stepped carefully over.

"Miss Ishiyama is in stable condition her parents are in to see her now. Someone is going to have to explain to them what happened though…" Odd stiffened, he hadn't had time to think of a logical excuse yet and so averted his gaze as his friends stressed. "But that can wait." He added noting their expressions and went to talk with Yumi's parents who had just emerged.

"Wait…" Ulrich stepped uneasily forward and swallowed his discomfort with difficulty "when can we see her?" "Tomorrow. Right now you four need to get back to school." They had just experienced something terrible but that was no excuse?

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They couldn't focus, not a single one of them but worse of all was Ulrich. It hit him hardest but perhaps because he was in love and he blamed himself for not being there to help the person he cared for most when she needed him.

"She's not going to die" Odd tried to convince his roommate but he wouldn't listen. It was obvious there was some major thoughts passing through Ulrich's mind and no one tried to bother him not even Sissi.

Ulrich left with a silent muttering of going to dinner and his friend stuck behind glancing to the girl who approached cautiously. "Is Ulrich okay?" "That's none of your business Sissi" She frowned "then… are you okay?"

Never had Miss Elisabeth 'Sissi' Delmas cared to ask about him. It was always Ulrich this and Ulrich that, he didn't know why but he felt the smile warming up on his features at her concern about someone other then his roommate "You must be a human being after all."

Ulrich wasn't at dinner but Odd had idea about where he was. "Ulrich really does love Yumi…" he poked his fork around his meal thinking about his situation lately and all these visions "to bad Romeo and Juliet doesn't have a happy ending…"

The pink hair girl tilted her head to glance at Jeremie "what is Odd talking about?"

"He's talking to himself" The genius got up glancing at the boy that was currently 'talking to himself' "you want the rest of my dinner?" He didn't even look up just kept have a long winded conversations for guilt reasons. "When Jeremie asked me to do the return trip last time I screwed up…"

"That's why it didn't work this time and now Yumi is hospital and Ulrich is depressed and it's my fault for screwing up our only loophole." With that he stopped and filled his mouth with food. Sliding his fingers to Jeremie's tray he pulled it over and went on eating in silence.

"I think Odd may need to see a therapist Jeremie."

Jeremie went off to the factory and Aelita went to where ever she went when she wasn't with him, maybe to the hospital too. Odd slipped the few remains into the trashcan and sniffled a sneeze "um… Odd?"

"Are you sick Sissi? you haven't asked me about Ulrich for sixteen minutes now." "My father told me what happened" He scooted back to get up "I bet you were happy to hear that the competition was out of the way."

That wasn't so but Sissi wouldn't admit that her interests now resided on someone else, someone that always had to have an argument when she came around as if his sanity depended on that to never change. She really wanted it to change though but could only scowl. "That Yumi girl was never competition anyways."

"You're right she beats you in ever aspect." How could he pull that smile as he hurt her feelings? how could he laugh at his own humorous jokes. "At least I never tried to kill myself!" That was a mistake but she had to stop the laughter and this had been very effective.

Odd Della Robbia took to utter silence, which meant she either hit the nail on the head or was completely **wrong**. Clearly at his confusion on what emotion to display and the way his fingers curled tight into fist she could very well be the second one.

She regretted making him mad, she didn't like seeing the usually energetic boy like this. His anger dropped so quickly into despair and he headed away his eyes lingering on his feet. Still despite everything she couldn't say she was sorry and break the pact she had made with herself. Sissi felt bad about what she didn't understand.

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Ulrich and his gang were keeping secrets again and this time Sissi would find out, but the truth was she already knew.

The rain had cleared and only the faint remains of clouds lingered in the sky as the sun began to set. There Odd was, near the vending machines even though dinner had just occurred but then he wasn't getting anything from them just sitting there.

He sat back against the wall the faint remains of a puddle resting at the fronts of his shoes. He was probably waiting for his friends as they often met here; at the moment though their only a few stragglers passing on their way to the dorms.

Sissi slid her fingers under her fastened skirt and into her pant pockets checking for a coin. She then stepped casually toward one of the vending machines. "Now how does this work?…" Oh, she knew she just wanted to see if she could get Odd out of his slump.

No reply came so she just dropped the coin into the slot "soup maybe" she slid her finger over the button and paused at the voice. "Why are you being so nice Sissi… what are you trying to do?"

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Jeremie sat before the screens examining the codes that sprawled across at a rapidly increasing rate. XANA was getting way to much power if they didn't do something soon, more events like what happened to Yumi would occur. Now the solution to this… he needed more information for that and that meant it was time for a visit to sector five.

Something flashed up on the display, a constant red "Xana…" he dropped the window and went to call Ulrich but gained no connection. "What are you up to?" He rose from his chair and headed for the upper levels exiting the factory.

It was eerie quiet on the bridge and the genius removed his cell phone to check for signals, they came up and he sent text messages to Ulrich, Odd, and Aelita as he leaned back against the railing. The girl sent one back right away she was coming, now he just had to wait for the other two.

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Sissi opened her mouth to reply but was cut short by a beeping that had Odd's full attention. She sunk slowly over as he pulled out the cell phone but only one word was there **XANA**. Though she didn't understand it he seemed to rising immediately to his feet.

"Will you give me a straight answer if I ask you what's going on?" It was so soon; the virus had already attacked once today. He was leaving Sissi behind without a reply taking his pace to a steady run, despite the lack of sleep he pushed forward tirelessly.

He waited for the answer on the other side of the line then laughed "I'm on my way Einstein." Jeremie had only told him to hurry so he hung up and continued on his way unaware of his follower.

Sissi followed obsessively after craving to know what was so dangerous that the gang always gained bruises. Why did they always have to make excuses and skip classes and disappear suddenly? she wasn't going to fall for these acts anymore.

She ducked into the bushes as Odd began to glance around. His sights pausing in her direction for a moment at the rustling she had made and as if he had been sunk up on before he looked uneasy. After a moment he just shrugged and lifted the cover off a manhole.

Going into the sewers?

In a moment it was like he was never there she stepped out walking to the access.

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He was still missing a response, Ulrich must have been ignoring his cell phone.

Jeremie turned to look down at the water of Seine the currents hurling fast in effect of the earlier storm. What ever the reason he leaned over a little further glancing at the shine cast by the last thin rays of sun.

The old bars had gave away with a little persuasion of an electronic force and sent the boy plummeting into the river.

Odd and Aelita arrived at the same time, just in time. Spotting the blonde as he was dragged under, the two swung to the broken railings Odd letting out a pained laugh "Jeremie the school does have access to a swimming pool, you know?…" Never less he jumped as another form had peered her head out of the still opened manhole.

"Odd?…" She climbed out slowly and Aelita whirled around "Sissi! What are you doing here?…" her voice crackled with shock, Elisabeth could not discover the Supercomputer she stepped back blocking the view of the two in the river.

Across the bank two soaked figures staggered onto shore one doing most of the dragging and in that normal purple he had drawn out a phone. Aelita paused and took out her own as she saw the two darting for the factory "yes… I'm on my way."

Sissi grabbed the girl's arm "no your not. Not unless you tell me what's going on first." She just smiled sweetly and said the words "sorry but that's classified information." The tower deactivated itself, that was what the person said through the pink phone.

"In fact Sissi I was just headed back to school. It's late after all… why not join me." "Whatever." She went back with the girl but still she wasn't convinced she knew Odd had gone this way that Jeremie must have been here too. They were doing something in that factory and she was going to figure out what it was.

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Sorry if you disappointed. I'm not really focusing on Ulrich and Yumi because this story wasn't meant to be about them. What happened though… I'm sure there was a reason and it will come into better understanding soon. Thank you for reading this far.

Next chapter: The Plan

**Read and Review. **


	8. The Plan

**Disclaimer: **Code Lyoko belongs to some **very** lucky people, not me. The only thing that belongs to me is my own mind.

**Note: **Thank so much for the reviews. For the support and the note of my mistakes because now I can take steps to make this story better. I will now check more thoroughly for errors in my writing.

Odd is important, he is my favorite character.

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Chapter 8: The Plan

The Lyoko warriors needed to go to Sector Five and soon before XANA became completely unstoppable but they had a problem, no they had a _few_ problems.

1. Yumi was out of the game.

2. Ulrich wouldn't leave Yumi's side.

3. Sissi was close to figuring out their secret.

4. Odd was worn out.

And now there was another one, as Jeremie sneezed and sniffled. "Are you getting sick Jeremie?" He looked at the girl and rubbed his nose quietly feeling that a bit of snot might run free. "Yeah… I think so…"

He looked around his table with puzzlement and despair, almost all the chairs stared blankly back without a single of their friends in sight. It was just Aelita and him on this 'wonderful' morning. "You should go to the Infirmary." "Uh yeah but I don't want to leave you alone."

She just smiled "don't worry. Look Odd's over there in the line." He was yawning wide like a lazy cat as he gathered piles of food.

Jeremie got to his feet nodding toward his friend who rose his hand in a large wave. Heck, Odd never did care what people thought of him he was good at living up to his name.

Odd Della Robbia began his walk toward their table as Jeremie left. It was just him and Aelita then.

The world was a bit hazy and distant as he pulled his weight forward step by step; fearful that if his concentration slipped so would he. That much was true and it was far too hard to focus in this vast, noisy cafeteria.

He tripped a step catching the toes of his shoes upon nothing but the smooth floor and fell with a hefty 'thud'. A few people froze to glance over but this was nothing of extreme excitement, the food hadn't even spilled.

Aelita noticing what had happened was moving to help her friend who seemed rather unwilling to get up on his own. At least reality was still for a moment; Odd didn't want to stumble over again but soon found a girl at his side.

She should have laughed and held her composure but the principal's daughter was there at his side in an instant kneeling slightly to look at him. "Are you alright?" he sat up fast at the touch of concern in Elisabeth Delmas tone. He really hoped he was delusional from exhaustion but he couldn't be since she asked again, louder this time to get his attention and unknowingly gathering it from other students too.

It was weird, everything was simply bogus lately.

Odd held up his hand "help me up?" He wanted to see just how serious Sissi was about being nice even with her two cronies questioning from the sideline. How could **their **Goddess have anything with another boy over them? Heartbroken over Ulrich they always dreamed she would fall back onto them.

She did take his hand because she was in the moment, stroking a strand of her raven hair behind her ear as she did.

Odd's hand was warm but trembled ever so slightly in her grasp, it was a sign to be uneasy but she didn't dwell because as she began to pull him back to his feet she heard two very unwanted voices.

"Look at that Milly, Odd and Sissi." Those little twerps, she could feel her cheeks getting warm. "Don't you think they make the most perfect couple?" That was enough, she let go causing the tint of red to fade from her features.

Luckily the boy had already regained enough of his balance at this point that he didn't fall again.

"I'm glad you're okay… You still owe me money after all." She was back to her sour self making up excuses for this mild feeling of love. Odd was about to make a comeback but had to instead answer his phone pausing in mid-breath.

"Ulrich is at the hospital. Yeah, I will be right there." He hung up and turned around to face the pink haired girl "that was Jeremie." She stood brushing off her skirt and he went to tell Sissi they would have to finish this conversation another time but she was already gone.

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It rocked and vibrated against the counter's wooden surface and lifting his brown optics off the still unconscious girl he reached over to pick up his phone. "Yeah Jeremie?"

Ulrich didn't care that XANA was attacking he wasn't going to leave Yumi's side, specially when there was an attack. What if the virus targeted her again? "I'm sure Odd and Aelita are enough to handle it." They handled plenty of missions on their own.

Jeremie must have been rubbing his eyes right now, stressing. It was enough of a guess by the tone of his voice when he said 'alright' but it wouldn't change Ulrich's mind.

**Fine Ulrich but don't let what happened to Yumi ruin your life.**

He dropped the phone.

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"We are here Jeremie" He swerved his chair around at the familiar voice about to gesture for them to go down to the scanner room but paused when he saw his friend. "Are you alright Odd?"

Jeremie could say he imagined the whole thing because in that moment the boy had perked up with a smile. "Yes." He sidestepped to push the large red button and in a second the two Lyoko warriors were descending to the scanner room below.

Quietly Odd had stepped into his scanner turning to face the girl who seemed rather indecisive but must of recovered stepping into a scanner as well.

"Alright Jeremie we are ready to go."

In the lab Jeremie began the process explaining that they were headed for the mountain sector as they were virtualized into Lyoko. "Xana already has the tower guarded be careful."

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The two landed smoothly scanning their surrounding for any sudden threats. "I'm always careful."

**It's good to know you have your memory back Odd…**

Odd couldn't spot the tower but then there was mist everywhere. It didn't completely engulf them in white but it did hang loosely in this region cutting closely at their vision. "Alright I'm at a lost. Where is the tower Einstein?"

**Straight ahead, just start walking.**

He did, fumbling the purple tail between his fingers. "I still don't remember why I have a tail…" Beside him Aelita laughed "it just worked that way."

For a moment he paused tilting his head back to look at her behind "but you don't have one." She would have blushed or hit him she wasn't sure which. "Hey Jeremie. Why doesn't Aelita have a tail or paws?"

**Focus Odd you have company.**

"Oh, really? Where?" he looked around but didn't spot them before they spotted him and fell back at the blast which hit him square in the chest. "Hey! What was that for?" Aelita rushed past for a place to hide as Jeremie spoke in discomfort about how he couldn't believe Odd still didn't remember everything about Lyoko.

Monster were bad, get Aeltia to the tower, don't fall into the void. Odd did know this much and bounded back to his feet spotting the large red creature. "So what is thos thing? And where is the eye?"

**It's on top.**

On queue he ducked under and bounded up on top planting an arrow into it back. "Is that it Jeremie?" He landed by the girl who started to run toward the tower.

**Yeah. Get to the tower now.**

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Sissi came to the factory that day despite the fact that classes were currently going on and stood before the ropes gazing down at the dirty floor below. How did they get down? She turned her gaze spotting an accessible ramp some ways away knowing that would work just fine.

Then what though? On this level she could only spot an old freight elevator that probably did work anymore. She tapped the button anyways and to her surprise found it opened.

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"You're almost there now." It was true, they were only moments from being able to deactivate the tower but something had shifted the genius' attention. Who was using the elevator? On reflex he brought it to a halt. There wasn't time to deal with this now specially if it was XANA.

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Odd had paused, the tower clear in their sights now, crimson red floating lazily up from it's form like a thick bloody mist. "Only a little farther" the elfin princess had insisted noting that he had stopped and slowly he lifted his head to gaze at her once more. Not enough sleep. In Lyoko no one slept but right now he wished that wasn't so.

Still he pressed on bringing his pace to a run with intention to meet the monsters guarding their destination. "I got this Aelita… Run to the tower…" She did do so falling behind him as he sped onward on all fours like a large purple feline.

In three seconds he felt like his grasp on this place was going to slip away. Dug in his claws into the back of large crab like creature as he felt it's form miraculously beneath him. Knowing he must of leapt up there at one point but no longer held the strength to bound off as it exploded.

He didn't know how many life points he had left but that had been it. The moment he hit the ground and his virtual form had fallen apart in the normal way, wireframe, then was gone from Lyoko.

Black came to greet him.

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This time the boy's grip hadn't fallen to the side of the scanner. His fingers fumbled but missed completely forcing gravity to pull him down. He wasn't sure why but he felt as if he had been falling a lot lately as darkness wrapped around his mind.

Aelita emerged moments later after completing her task and heard the elevator shifting down to their floor. When she looked over to the unconscious boy she shifted in discomfort "Jeremie we have a problem…" she paused hearing the doors open and she looked over at the shaft. "Actually we have two…"

Elisabeth 'Sissi' Delmas stood there in the elevator, shocked.

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Next chapter: Listen

**Read and Review. **


	9. Listen

**Disclaimer: **Same old thing; Code Lyoko doesn't belong to me.

**Note: **Everyday I come back to this thinking it will write itself and it never does.

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Chapter 9: Listen

Fainted. Odd Della Robbia had simply passed out and Sissi was currently too busy shaking him to let his friends find out why. "What's going on here?" She pointed toward the scanners "what are those things?!"

Why explain it again? She had been here before, multiple times. "Listen Sissi you can't tell anybody about this." She held the scrawny boy close like a teddy bear his large spike of blonde hair resting against her chest. "Why shouldn't I? If it's dangerous."

They couldn't say it wasn't unless they were going to lie. "Maybe you should just explain Jeremie…" "Right" he straightened his glasses and gestured for the principal's daughter to let Odd go and give him some room to breath. She did hesitantly as if any moment his own friends might finish him off.

Aelita came to examine their unconscious friend as their uninvited visitor went to listen to Jeremie's words. Sissi laughed at him like mad, as if the whole reason they risked their life was worthless and that she didn't care about the pink haired girl; just shut the computer down.

It filled in the blanks though, for all the stunts they were always pulling she finally had explanation that fit and she simply didn't want to believe it. "Then what happened to Odd?"

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Elisabeth had promised not to tell but a promise on her part had never meant much. In a sense it hurt to hold her word when these people she so longed to be friends with were in trouble.

Alone in her room she chewed on her cheek ignoring the knocks at her door. "Sissi?" Herb and Nicolas were curious to why she had locked herself up after classes. "GET LOST!" She chucked her pink pillow at the wood for nothing more then a very muffled thud.

She was thinking about Ulrich who had returned for the night; with dark circles under his eyes and glares of such dislike. He hated her but she could only feel pity in place of her once burning love for the boy. Ulrich had a spot in his heart for Yumi and only her.

It must be tearing him apart to see her lying there helpless on a hospital bed. Specially with their lifes in constant threat of ending.

Is that why she felt this way about _Odd_? She was worried that one day she might just find him gone and the world would continue without the optimistic boy. That his death would not be remembered for what he was trying to do for the people around him everyday. Why didn't she feel this way about the others?

She sunk back against her sheets, heavy from the worries which engulfed her in a terrifying fog. No, she wasn't worried about them being forgotten and she realized this now; the thing she was really worried about was Della Robbia.

That he would never know how she really felt about him. That she would never get the courage to tell.

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Every word merged together without fault even if spaces should exist, it was just too hard to focus. It shouldn't of been in this silence because not even Odd interrupted it with his snores of slumber he was too exhausted to make any on this hazy evening.

Ulrich knew he should be helping too. If anything happened to his other friends that would surely be his fault as well. He didn't know that his roommate was feeling the same though, blaming himself. Odd's mind simply did **not** work like that.

Though the words scribbled across the pages made no since, Ulrich continued to stare right through them. No one was watching, he could go ahead and cry for Yumi who still hadn't awoke but he didn't. What good would it do? None.

He wouldn't partake in such an exhausting activity for nothing, that much he had learned from his parents.

"You aren't looking so well Ulrich." Before now he hadn't noticed his friend had awoke and was sucking on hard candy out of all things. "Speak for yourself…" At his time his mood wasn't the best despite his faint relief.

Odd ignored him; the blankets sliding off his slim shoulders as he reached across the gap separating them. Seeing the bag presented to him Ulrich had lost his calm at his friend's continued happiness despite the terrible situations that surrounded them like a lightening storm.

He knocked the bag aside spilling all colors of the rainbow across their scattered belongings. The soft plunks the only noise in the dorm for a good moment "you're such a little kid Odd!"

Odd stared back with large purple optics filling to the brim with shock and despair.

"You need to grow up, don't you understand what's going on?! Don't you understand that Yumi might still die?!" He could see Odd's fingers trembling to the edge of his own bed clinging with claws that didn't currently exist. He didn't know why, were his words actually having an effect on him? "**We** could die!"

He saw the boy's shoulders heave up as in preparation to cry but he _didn't_. "I know…" because he saw. Odd's fingers stilled and his shoulders slumped as his whole body seemed to relax. Ulrich didn't know that instant his words had hit a lot harder then he saw. That his talk awoke nightmares in his best friend's mind.

"You think we can still eat that candy?"

He would probably never know of it either.

--------------------------------

It wasn't right for them to die and the boy secretly struggled to separate visions from dreams as his roommate scowled at him for picking the cadies back off the floor. Ulrich was hurting too but not the same way he was.

Odd was hurting bad, from physical to mental but he still had time to crack jokes that no one else ever seemed to find funny. His roommate was the one to keep emotions under guard but Odd was scared and he smiled anyways.

Was he worried about his friends knowing and becoming concerned? He **really** was.

They wouldn't die. No he wouldn't let them even if it meant another sleepiness night debating how stop these inevitable visions. That had been why he passed out though, his body reaching the limits of its supposedly endless energy. He didn't know if he would make it another night, he was about to find out.

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Same error. Tomorrow would be the only day to fix all this, it was the only day they had classes off this week. Odd would have to sit it out though and that left only Ulrich and Aelita to get to sector five and gather the rest of the information to put XANA's pile up of power to a stop.

Jeremie pushed up his slipping glasses and peered to the corner of his laptop's screen noting that morning wasn't to far off now. He picked up his cell phone with only the screen's electronic glow to locate the proper buttons.

It was his decision to give the others a fair warning of tomorrow.

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Odd Della Robbia's hopes of staying awake had slipped through his fingers. After a fitful night of sleep the rest he had managed to get did him little good and he found himself stumbling into the Cafeteria.

It took him a moment to realize the others weren't here, only Sissi, sitting at **their** table.

"Are you lost?" He glanced at her suspiciously slipping into a seat on the opposite side of the table beginning to shovel food into his mouth only to realize the girl had none of her own. He paused "what's… wrong?"

Sissi didn't reply or look up from the table top. "Where are Ulrich, Jeremie, and Aelita?" "…They went to the factory" He pushed his tray away and if she was to look now she would see just how pale he had become at her words. "A-already…?" He didn't even question how she knew about the factory, that wasn't what was bothering him.

Without awaiting the answer he arose and it was only when they were outside and away from the crowds Sissi stopped him. "Jeremie said that you can't go this time." She grabbed the purple sleeve of his arm her features stern and simple. "That if you try I have to stop you."

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This far from the grounds only the sound of the wind lurching through the leafs surrounded them, specks of dirt tumbling silently through the grass and around their feet. She saw Odd's expression in that moment as if he was debating the right action to take.

The moment he went to twist his arm free she knew what choice he had made and did the only thing she could think of, went hard for his gut, the pain which flared her cheek though made her stumble back giving Odd his freedom.

Since he had wanted it so bad, that he would act in such a brutal way. She could now feel the tears stinging her eyes as she slid her fingers to the reding mark. He… hit her? She couldn't move from shock only watch him go. The sorry he supplied whistling right past her ears.

He really hadn't wanted to do it. "I really am sorry Sissi…" but still he ran as fast as his legs would allow. That was the only thing he could think to do that was outrageous enough that it could skew his vision.

Odd would hate himself forever, if everything didn't turn out good in the end.

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Longest time so far on updating due to slacking. I wanted this story to only have ten chapters but since I just finished the ninth it's looking like it might have more.

Next chapter: Shattering the Inevitable

Go ahead, read and review.


	10. Shattering the Inevitable

**Disclaimer: **No one owns the sky but someone does own Code Lyoko and it's **not **me.

Chapter 10: Shattering the Inevitable

There was a terrible feeling settling in Odd's gut as he climbed up onto the bridge, worse then motion sickness. He still couldn't believe he hit Sissi, she was a girl and he never hit them no matter how much they did it to him for being a 'jerk'. This was a new low.

He sped up his pace just managing to grab a hold of the rope and swing down to the dusty ground.

She must hate him more then ever now and he couldn't blame her he was hating himself right now too. Had to keep telling himself that was the only thing bogus enough to stop the future to coming into effect and so far it was working.

In the vision he wasn't there so maybe if he could make it to Lyoko they wouldn't have to sacrifice themselves like that.

He reached the elevator only to find in non-responsive after much tapping of his foot in waiting. Why was he was so impatient? Oh, that was right cause his friends were in serious trouble. The same reason he swung around to the only access speeding down the rungs.

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Jeremie was surprised to see the golden shoe emerging and had to do a double take when the boy followed "Odd?" He landed smoothly stepping toward the genius "you have to send me to Lyoko."

This was major déjà vu, the last time this happened though the Scyphozoa grabbed him so this time Jeremie had to decline "No. You can't go, last time was way to much of a pain and I still haven't managed to fix the return to the past, we can't afford mistakes."

"They are in trouble." Jeremie just turned his attention back to the screen, looked fine so he ignored the boy. "Come on Jeremie! Jeremie! Jeremie!" he continued to keep his attention on other things "no. It's too dangerous, you passed out last time…"

"I'm fine. Come on…" "No."

For a moment his words seemed effective then Odd had shattered that thought. "Damn it Jeremie, its my life. I made my choice two years ago just like everyone else, that I was willing put it on the line for all this. Or did you forget?"

Jeremie shifted uncomfortably hating moments like this "fine. Just… just go already." He was sure he would regret this.

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The elfin princess flipped up each protruding ledge as down below Ulrich sliced apart Creepers as they arose from the dark corners of the vast room. Seconds were counting down and the girl was still inches from her target.

She sprung up just on time to activate the key and just as they went on their way once more someone appeared in Carthage.

As the Transport Orb slipped away to less then a sliver the purple figure slipped silently to his knees waiting momentarily for the nauseous feeling to release its grip upon him. He rose tilting his eyes toward the only exit "alright I'm here Jeremie. Mine telling the others to wait?" He paced forward taking in faint memories of this place.

Everything started shifting, rectangles and cubes moving up against each other and rising as he entered. This is where the Scyphozoa got him last time. "Jeremie? What am I suppose to be doing?"

**That's exactly why you shouldn't be there. You need to find the key quickly!**

Unhindered one of his large purple paws began to rise index finger moving to direct a claw upward. Faint white light was pooling down from the object plastered high up there on the wall "that looks promising." He jumped up and began to climb.

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When the two finally made it to the huge and mostly empty room Aelita rushed to the platform's end and touched the panel that sprung up at her presence. Ulrich stood back with his thin saber drawn, waiting for the mantas which would arrive from the data streams anytime now.

"Alright Jeremie I'm starting the process."

**Go ahead. Odd's on his way to help you.**

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Everything was growing blurry, blinded by the tears which burned her eyes. Sissi didn't know what to do no one had ever hit her like that before and she could feel her cheek swelling under her touch.

"Della Robbia! I do hope you die…" she closed her eyes sending the salty droplets tumbling from her dark lashes. That jerk he would deserve it.

Wouldn't he?

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There the creatures were moving as if submerged in water, their large wing like fins swaying slowly at their sides as they darted toward the two warriors upon the platform.

The boy took a deep breath tilting his digital weapon before his chest "well here it goes…" He sighed heavily swinging upwards toward the diving monsters and found his blade trapped in the seconds one's underside.

Ulrich tumbled over letting go of the hilt just in time to grab the side of the platform. The manta zigzagging upward before bursting apart, his saber dropping all the way plunging down into the void as he was soon destined to do as well.

"…Aeli-" He went to ask for her help but on this smooth surface he couldn't keep grip long enough to emit for the last syllables, the name cut short as he let out a soft gasp of realization and closed his eyes ready for the end.

Nothing happened except a familiar voice reaching his ears. "Man Ulrich… you're a disaster fighting on your own." Then he was dragged back up, actually glad to see his roommate after their argument yesterday.

"Like you're any better…"

It was one of those moments in time where what would happen next was probably unavoidable and very unpredictable. Ulrich was unguarded without his weapon and edged back to the entrance of this room. When Aelita was accessing the mainframe their friend at the lab couldn't do anything for them.

Odd stepped forward lifting an arm to target the swooping monsters "mind going a little faster princess?" Or maybe not, she was due to fall at the end, he was still debating how to fix that. "I'm almost there…"

He fired three lasers but made little effect against only their undersides. They doubled around and came rocketing back with only the small shield to guard against attack pain temporarily shot up his leg at the burn of a laser.

"Okay…" He couldn't afford to lose life points if only Yumi was here too. "Okay…" he muttered again to himself leaving his friends' clueless and then he jumped. "ODD!" Odd did some stupid things which gave Ulrich all the reason to run to the edge.

With a hefty thump he found XANA'a creature beneath his claws. "What are you doing?!" "Riding the Manta Ulrich. What does it look like?"

Didn't look very safe but then when did Odd care about that?

Ulrich's distraction had him once more plummeting over the edge as if it was destined to repeat itself until it succeeded and as Odd landed once more on the platform he shot his friend sending him back to the real world.

"Hurry it up Aelita!" it must be getting close now.

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Jeremie rose his fingers to announce that he became aware of Ulrich joining him but still he didn't look from the screen. "That's the most times I'm almost ever fell into the digital sea… XANA is really trying now." The genius didn't take a glance "something isn't right here…"

Only the brown haired boy turned as the elevator doors alerted them of a new arrival "Sissi?" She looked in the worse of weather. "Oh, Ulrich dear!" and back to some old habits, he put up his hands to stop her from getting any closer. "What happened to you?… Someone finally decide to get revenge for all the nasty tricks you pull?"

She averted her gaze "where's Odd?…"

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Seven, eight…

His aim was off due the dizziness which blurred up his sight and made everything fuzzy around the edges. After this was over he swore he was going to sleep and for a long time at that… Nine. The Mantas were turning in midair letting off their eerie cries as they took another dive.

This was his last arrow and they were headed straight for the girl. He knew what they were planning, the Manta that waited below to carry her away to the Scyphozoa and once that was in the process of happening he wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

He lifted his left paw curling his stiff digits, as close as his ally was there was no way he could miss. "Sorry Aelita…" It pierced straight through her back seconds before she was sent over the side.

He jerked back a step as wind brushed past from under their fins.

Curling up his tail into a tight spiral he laughed at the monsters as they swept up once more "you lose" he stuck out his tongue and moved forward to the panel tilting his head to the side "whoops…" He scratched a claw to the back of his head "I guess I should of thought things through…"

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"Odd… hit you?" Ulrich was pretty sure he hadn't heard right looking to determine if he did and found Jeremie just as puzzled. "There isn't any activated towers…" Had been the only thing Jeremie whispered at the words, he had never know their friend to take out anger in physical ways or to even have any.

Sissi nodded faintly then sucked up her regret "I was trying to stop him… That scrawny jerk!" At this moment they were interrupted as the fourth person joined them in the room "Aelita?.."

The girl came over slowly rubbing her back "it's strange that he would shoot me like that. I was almost done…" "Odd's gone crazy!" the all ignored Elisabeth's comment.

Jeremie turned his chair back around and picked up his headphone "what are you doing Odd?! You know I can't get you out of there unless Aelita shut down that program!"

**XANA was going to send her to the Scyphozoa, I didn't think…**

"He never does." "I hate him!" Comments from the peanut gallery were not needed at a time like this and Jeremie tried hard to think of a solution to this problem. "Odd you have to-"

**Yeah I know.**

Information began to span across the screen and many codes scrolled over at an alarming rate even if it was slower then normal it had Jeremie leaning forward in shock. Odd was no genius there was no way he would know how to do this. "O-Odd…?"

**That's cool Einstein I only saw Aelita doing it but XANA is messing around, it's only a matter of seconds befor-**

The steady pace of figures appearing upon the screen suddenly stopped as did Odd's explanation. "Odd?" Behind him Ulrich and Sissi were bickering like they were married and Aelita was asking him what was wrong.

**I don't want to be digital forever Jeremie…**

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Their screeches penetrated all the way to the surrounding void his tail dangling down toward the nothingness and he dug in his claws struggling for a grip on his near end. "Once Xana got what he wanted from Aelita he wouldn't hesitate to dispose of her… Ulrich wasn't even a second of thought and Yumi is only inches from death he would finish her off when done with the rest of us."

His claws whined against the platform's surface as he slipped a little more trying to claw his way back up with his climbing abilities, it didn't work very well. "This stupid vision has changed three times now and I really don't want to end up like this with XANA still winning!"

**They are coming back…**

Odd turned his head to see the mantas coming without even bothering to charge their beams, they were headed to knock him down. It was going to end…

Like this. On the panel above information began to shoot across once more but it wasn't to anyone's interest at the time. Franz Hopper had took over.

XANA must have been able to see the future too, must of stole Odd's _stupid_ power when those tentacles touched him and now it was over. It was all his fault that the virus had been able to turn the tides in it's favor so he guessed it was only fair he would have to pay the price.

He just remembered something as his claws streaked the last centimeters and the mantas rammed into him. For a moment the furry fingers of his two purple paws scrapped across the monster's surface because he wanted to say before whatever happened… happened but the voice interrupted him.

**The return program!**

Odd Della Robbia was suddenly falling… but where to?

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It was funny that the white light had erased so much, it probably never would again. "XANA just realized we were too strong to be messing wit-" The boy stopped the words upon his tongue as a huge smile spread across his face followed by quiet a bit of laughter and he could feel the eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

"Della Robbia!" Jeremie let off a soft hum of thought seeming to finally realize what day this was. Right before the whole mess had begun and he could see the brown haired boy bending his head down as the teacher addressed their friend who sniffled his snickers. "Since you seem to know this lesson so well why don't you explain a food web to the class?"

"Um…" Odd Della Robbia had held up a finger to get a moment, turning away from Ulrich's faint smile knowing by the emotion upon his friend's face that Yumi was alright and he had just received a text message from her saying that very thing.

Sissi narrowed her eyes at the boy she had been content to stare at from behind. "What scrawny?" She expected anything other then the taste of his lips as Mrs. Hertz stuttered "Della Robbia-"

It was a shame that Elisabeth 'Sissi' Delmas couldn't remember a thing about everything that happened in the coming week and didn't have a clue why Odd Della Robbia was kissing her. She did know one thing though, she _liked_ it.

This time XANA really had lost.

---------------------------------

It's done I say, done! I think I will take a break from writing for a few days…

Go ahead, **read and review **if you want.


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